Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelhon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dahlia  plant named ‘Baldelhon’ characterized by its light red and orange-bicolored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, good basal branching character, and moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Dahlia variabilis.

Variety denomination: ‘Baldelhon’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant botanically known as Dahlia variabilis and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Baldelhon’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Rijsenhout, the Netherlands during May 2002. The objective of the breeding program was the development of freely flowering Dahlia cultivars with large flowers and a moderately vigorous growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietary Dahlia variabilis breeding selection designated 1151, not patented, characterized by its white-colored ray florets and upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Dapasuje’, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/168,196, characterized by its deep red and orange bicolored ray florets and compact growth habit. The new Dahlia was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during May 2003 in a controlled environment at Rijsenhout, the Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2003 at Rijsenhout, the Netherlands and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Baldelhon’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant:

-   -   1. Light red and orange-bicolored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage;     -   3. Good basal branching character; and     -   4. Moderately vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color and from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Dahlia cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Baldelemz’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,448. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Baldelemz’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact than plants of         ‘Baldelemz’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller inflorescences than         plants of ‘Baldelemz’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a different flower color from         plants of ‘Baldelemz’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly as true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Baldelhon’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Baldelhon’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of ‘Baldelhon’ with open ray florets and unopened disc florets.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up ventral view of a single inflorescence of ‘Baldelhon’ with fully open ray florets and unopened disc florets.

FIG. 4 illustrates a close-up dorsal side view of the same inflorescence of ‘Baldelhon’ as in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 illustrates a close-up view of the ventral surface of an inflorescence of ‘Baldelhon’ with fully open ray florets and fully open disc florets.

FIG. 6 illustrates a close-up dorsal side view of the same inflorescence of ‘Baldelhon’ as in FIG. 5 ‘Baldelhon’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on May 20, 2005 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill. in 10 cm pots for 9 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 75° F. (18° C. to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 60° F. to 65° F. (15° C. to 18° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of approximately 4,000 to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Dahlia variabilis cultivar Baldelhon. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Dahlia variabilis breeding             selection designated 1151, not patented.         -   Male parent.—‘Dapasuje’, not patented (concurrent             application). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Tubers.—Will form under short day conditions of at least 13             to 14 hours of darkness. -   Plant description:     -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a rooted cutting.         -   Growth habit.—Basal branching; pinching enhances branching.         -   General appearance.—Moderately vigorous, upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 24.4 cm. Height from top of soil to top of             foliage: 15.6 cm. Width: Approximately 23.4 cm.         -   Branch.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 4. Strength:             Strong. Length: Approximately 9.5 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 5.7 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Closest to             144A. Internode length at center of branch: Approximately             1.8 cm.         -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 21. Type: Simple and compound leaves. Quantity             of leaflets per compound leaf; 3. Fragrance: None.             Arrangement: Opposite. Aspect: At acute angle to stem. Shape             of leaf and leaflet: Elliptic. Apex of leaf and leaflet:             Acute. Base of leaf and leaflet: Attenuate. Margin of leaf             and leaflet: Widely dentate. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color of upper surface of all leaves and leaflets: Darker             than 137A with venation of 146C. Color of lower surface of             all leaves and leaflets: Lighter than N138B with venation of             146C. Texture of upper and lower surface of all leaves and             leaflets: Sparsely pubescent, with denser pubescence along             veins. Length of simple leaf: Approximately 6.1 cm. Width of             simple leaf: Approximately 4.8 cm. Length of petiole of             simple leaf: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter of petiole of             simple leaf: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper surface             of petiole of simple leaf: Puberulent. Texture of lower             surface of petiole of simple leaf: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface of petiole of simple leaf: 146B. Color of lower             surface of petiole of simple leaf: 146C. Length of mature             trifoliate leaf: Approximately 7.2 cm. Width of mature             trifoliate leaf: Approximately 7.5 cm. Length of petiole of             mature trifoliate leaf: Approximately 3.1 cm. Diameter of             petiole of mature trifoliate leaf: Approximately 2.7 mm.             Texture of upper surface of petiole of mature trifoliate             leaf: Puberulent. Texture of lower surface of petiole of             mature trifoliate leaf: Glabrous. Color of upper surface of             petiole of mature trifoliate leaf: Closest to 146D with             overlay of 187A. Color of lower surface of petiole of mature             trifoliate leaf: Closest to 146D. Length of terminal             leaflet: Approximately 5.9 cm. Width of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 3.8 cm. Length of rachis of terminal leaflet:             Approximately 1.1 cm. Diameter of rachis of terminal             leaflet: Approximately 3.1 mm. Texture of upper surface of             rachis of terminal leaflet: Puberulent. Texture of lower             surface of rachis of terminal leaflet: Glabrous. Color of             upper surface of rachis of terminal leaflet: 146B. Color of             lower surface of rachis of terminal leaflet: 146C. Length of             lateral leaflet: Approximately 4.4 cm. Width of lateral             leaflet: Approximately 2.6 cm. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Baldelhon’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 14 weeks from sticking             of unrooted cutting.         -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 4 weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Type: Composite. Aspect: Facing upward and             slightly outward. Arrangement: Terminal, arising from leaf             axils on strong peduncles, positioned over the foliage. Disc             and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.             Persistant.         -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 2 fully open at 9 weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 7.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.7 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Shape/size.—Hemispherical when ray florets are fully open.             Diameter: Approximately 6.9 cm. Depth: Approximately 4.1 cm.             Disc diameter: Approximately 1.4 cm. Receptacle diameter:             Approximately 9.6 mm. Receptacle height/depth: Approximately             4.0 mm. Receptacle color: 145A.         -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes approximately 2 weeks             for bud to progress from first color to fully open             inflorescence.         -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per plant: Approximately 4             showing color at any one time. Shape: Round, flattened.             Depth: Approximately 1.6 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 cm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 187C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity: Approximately 59 per inflorescence.             Arrangement: Imbricate, in several whorls. Aspect: Cupped             with three ribs. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Emarginate with             three acute tips. Base: Attenuate, fused to form tube.             Margin: Entire. Appearance of upper surface: Velvety.             Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Width: Approximately 1.8 cm.             Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of             upper surface when just opening: Between N167A and N167B.             Color of lower surface when just opening: 53A. Color of             upper surface when fully open: 167A at apex, transitioning             to 5A at base. Color of lower surface when fully open:             Between 35A and 35B at apex, transitioning to 5B at base             with ridges of 5C. Color of upper surface just before             senescence: 164C at apex, transitioning to 4A at base. Color             of lower surface just before senescence: 53D at apex,             transitioning to 5C at base.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity: Approximately 44. Arrangement:             Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape: Tubular. Apex: 5             acute tips. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Length:             Approximately 1.4 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately             2.6 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 1.5 mm. Texture:             Glabrous. Color: 6B, transparent.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Quantity: One per floret. Shape: Linear,             slightly overlapping. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length of phyllaries of outermost florets:             Approximately 1.7 cm. Width of phyllaries of outermost             florets: Approximately 6.6 mm. Length of phyllaries of             innermost florets: Approximately 1.1 cm. Width of phyllaries             of innermost florets: Approximately 4.1 mm. Texture of upper             and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower             surfaces: 145B with 143A at base.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Quantity: Approximately 8. Shape:             Rhomboidal. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Pointing downward. Length: Approximately             1.1 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces:             137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: On disc florets. Stamen             number: 5. Anther shape: Linear. Anther length:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 17A. Gynoecium: On disc and ray             florets. Pistil length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Stigma shape:             Feather. Stigma length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma color:             14B. Style length: Approximately 1.3 cm. Style color: 1B.             Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.5 mm. Ovary color: 150D. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Dahlia has not been observed. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Dahlia plant named ‘Baldelhon’, substantially as herein shown and described. 